Perception bias, social embedding and consumer willingness to pay for chilled pork packaging: empirical analysis based on multiple experiments

PurposeThe paper proposes a research method to verify the perception bias of consumers on the freshness preservation effects of vacuum packaging (VP) and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) chilled pork packages, the influence of sensory experience on correcting consumers' perception bias of packaging performance and willingness-to-pay (WTP) enhancement channels.Design/methodology/approachUsing data from 458 and 188 participants who completed the contingent valuation method (CVM) and auction experiment, respectively, the study aimed to uncover consumers' packing quality perception bias and WTP, and investigated the societal factors that contribute to variations in WTP.FindingsThe CVM experiment revealed that although consumers' high perception bias rate toward MAP to maintain freshness, as compared to lab test results, came along with low WTP premium to cost rate with sensory experience in the auction experiment, the proportion of consumers with quality perception bias decreased from 49.85% to 34.46%, while the WTP premium to cost rate for MAP increased largely by 36.7%. Perceptive embedding has a positive effect on chilled pork packaging WTP, while normative embedding decreases WTP.Originality/valueThe findings emphasize the need of public policies to promote positive consumption attitudes, while whittling the negative consumption norms, to increase the WTP for packaged child pork and promote the chilled pork market formation.

Automated summary

This paper proposes a research method to verify consumers' perception bias on the freshness preservation effects of vacuum packaging and modified atmosphere packaging chilled pork packages. By using the contingent valuation method and auction experiment, the study reveals consumers' packing quality perception bias and willingness-to-pay and investigates the societal factors that contribute to variations in willingness-to-pay. The findings highlight the importance of public policies in promoting positive consumption attitudes and increasing the willingness-to-pay for packaged chilled pork.